Heat-treating apparatus



April 24, 1945. so g HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 10, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll 211157!!! I R m m W Howard E. omeasv BY Q 7W A TTORNE Y April 24, 1945-0 H. E-. SOMES HE T-TREATING APPARATUS 4 SheetsSheet 2 Original Filed May 10, 1941' INVENTOR Howard E. Somes Illle A TTORNEY Apr-i124, 1945.

H. E. SOMES. I HEAT TREATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 10, 1941 I mm P w 0 INVENTOR Howard E. Somes BY fwd 0? 774%)4 A TTORNE Y April 24, 1945. H. E. SOMES HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 10, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Howard E. Somes.

A TTORNE Y Patented Apia-2 4, 1945 UNITED S'IIATES 2,374,243" HEAT-TREATING APPARATUS Howard E. smiles, Detroit, Mich assignor to Budd Induction Heating, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Michigan Y Original application May 10, 1941, Serial No.

392,867. Divided and this application 1942, Serial No. 444,347

4 Claims.

same while at the same timeprogressively moving it relative to heating and quenching mechanism from one end to the other to internally harden the same. I

Another object is to provide such apparatus wherein the member to be heat treated is accurately held and moved during the heat treat-,

ing operation. a

Another objectis to provide such apparatus which is readily accessible for loading and unloading and in which means is providedfor insurmg proper mounting of the workpiece before operation can be effected.

A further object is to provide such apparatus with improved mechanism for securely gripping a hollow cylindrical workpiece at its opposite ends and which can be readily adjusted to accommodate workpieces of different lengths.

With the above and other objects in view which will be apparent from the following detailed. description, the present invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed.

In the drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus looking toward the front and one side of the same;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view of the work supporting apparatus, portions of the same being shown in section to illustrate some of the detailed construction;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substan tially on line 3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectiontaken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5- is a schematic layout showing the hy-.

draulic control circuit for the work supporting apparatus: j

Figure 6 is ,a fragmentary side elevation of one of the control devices, and

Figure 7 1s a fragmentary section showing the May 25,

guide and bridging means for the heating head arbor.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several, views, and particularly to Figure 1, there is generally illustrated a heat treating apparatus comprising a rigid upright frame 40 of hollow box section having a vetrical chan nel or recess 42 in the front face thereof, providing, in efiect, spaced vertical columns 44 and 46 at either side of the forward face of the box section frame. On the front face of the frame and secured to the columns 44 and 46 is a pair of spaced upright parallel rods 48 and 50 secured to the frame at the bottom through clamping members 52 and 54 and at the top by clamping members 56 and 58. The rods extend through the top clamping members 56 and 58 and support at their upper extremities a cross tie or bridging member 60, upon which is mounted a switching transformer 62 and its motivating cylinder 64 and from which depends the electrical conductor arbor 66, which elements do not form part of the present invention. Slidably mounted on the rods 48 and 50 is a carriage 68 composed of sleeves iii and I2 telescoped upon the rods l8 and 50, which sleeves are rigidly connected together at the bottom, centrally and the top,

respectively, by the lower chuck support member H, the upper chuck support member 16 and a guiding bridge 18. Between the upper and lower chuck supports 16 and it, which carry the upper and lower fixtures l9 and 11, respectively,

the workpiece 80 in the form of a tubular cylindrical object is held in proper position for the operations to be performed thereon by the apparatus.

' In the lower portion of the apparatus and between the clamping members 62 and 54 there is provided a bracket 82 irom which a quenching apparatus 84 is supported, the nozzle of which,

as will be later described, projects above the bracket 82 and the actuating elevating and retracting apparatus 86 therefor extends below the bracket 82.

It will be observed that the rods 48 and 50, the rigid frame 40, the bracket 82, and the rigid carriage 68 are suflicient to provide a rigid support for maintaining the conductor arbor 86, workpiece 80 and quench rod 84 accurately in alignment with one another for precision work.

Referring to Figure 2, wherein the central portion of the apparatus isillustrated in detail and in section, it will be observed that therods 48 and 50, upon which the carriage 68 slides, re

and through the introduction of fluid under pressure through the ports 98 and I above and below the piston rings 93 respectively in the pistons 92, fluid under pressure is admitted to the annular cavity between the members 88 and 90 of the rod 50 and the sleeve l2, it being understood that admission of fluid above the piston will elevate the sleeves I0 and I2 and admission of fluid under pressure below the piston 92 will lower the sleeves I0 and I2.

The carriage 68 is formed by the main lower chuck or lower fixture support member I4 which constitutes a main tie between the sleeves, the same being bored to receive the sleeves and secured to the sleeves I0 and I2 by the split annular keys I02 arranged partly in the annular grooves in the sleeves l0 and I2 and between the lower ends of the sleeve receiving bores I5 of the support member I4 and the retaining collars I04. The member 14, substantially at its center, is provided with a vertical axis bearing constituted by spaced antifriction bearings H0 and H2, upon Secured to the underside of the support member. I4 is a, gear housing and motor support H8, a motor I being shown in connection therewith (see Figure 1). The spindle II4 of the lower rotatable work support member II 6 is provided at its lower end with a drive gear I22 keyed thereto and meshing with pinion I24 on the shaft of the motor I20 (see Figure 4). The bearing spindle II4 of. the lower work support member H6 at its upper end is provided with a radial flange I 26 and a depending peripheral cylindrical flange I28, the flange I28 supporting an'annular lower splash 11ard I30 and chuck receiving support plate I 32.

A drain I33 is provided for the splash guard and plate, the drain being provided with a check valve I35 to prevent back-flow of quenching fluid radially outward therethrough due to centrifugal force of rotation.

The chuck support plate I32 is provided with a central chuck sleeve I34 threaded into the plate I32 and locked byrthe set screw I38. The chuck the upper chuck support I6, the fixture I9, and the chuck I48 of the same general construction as chuck I34 are provided, in which the chuck I48 and fixture I9 are movable toward and away from the lower chuck I34.

The upper chuck support member I6 will be seen to comprise (see Figure 2) a central bridging member I50 having semi-circular recessed side portions I52 and I54 adapted to engage the sleeves l0 and I2 and to be clamped in tight engagement therewith by the semi-circular caps I56 and I58 secured in place upon the chuck support member by the cap screws I60. In practice, to accommodate workpieces of diflerent lengths, the upper chuck support member I4 may be positioned along the sleeves I2 of the carriage at any desired point by loosening the cap screws I60 and sliding the support member I4 to any desired point.

The bridging member I50 of the upper chuck support member I6 has a substantially annular channel sectioned wall I62 in which are arranged at substantially uniformly spaced points around the periphery three cylinders I64 having pistons L I66 from which depend supporting piston rods I68 which is rotatably supported the spindle N4 of the lower work supporting rotatable member I I6.

which carry the ciated fixture I9.

The piston rods I68 are connected through ears I II to anannular bearing housing member I10. The housing is provided with an inwardly and upwardly extending flange II2,- having spaced antifriction bearings I14 which'in turn rotatably support a chuck supporting flanged sleeve I18 through the upper end plate I80 and external upper chuck I48 and its assobearing sleeve I82, the latter coacting with the antifriction bearings I14 for rotatable support.

The sleeve I82 is provided with gear teeth I88 which mesh with a pinion mounted on the motor shaft I86 of the motor I88, the pinion and gear having the same ratio as the pinion I24 and gear I22 and the motor I88 being identically the same as the motor I20. The motor I88 is mounted upon the annular bearing housing member "0 as seen in Figure 2, and the central bridging member has its annular wall I62 ofiset as at I80 to clear the motor I88 since it will appear that the motor and chuck and annular housing member II0 all are elevated and lowered with respect to the bridge member I50 when fluid under pressure is delivered to the cylinders I64. The annular bearing housing member I I0 is provided on its underside with a depending annular upper splash guard I92 extendingaround the upper chuck I46. It will appear that the upper chuck I48 is threaded into a chuck plate I84, the latter being secured to the lower flange I96 of the flanged sleeve I18.

, The upper chuck I48 is identical to the lower finger I42 supported upon paraxially arranged resilient leaf spring members I44, the latter being fastened to the exterior of the chuck sleeve I34 and above the flange I39: -Within the chuck I34 is an annular recess in which is positioned an annulus I4! of radially arranged laminations of magnetic material, the laminations acting as an end extension for the workpiece 80 illustrated as supported in the chuck I34. h

In order to support tubular articles, such as 80, of considerable length from each end and to provide for the accurate alignment of the workpiece 80, the quench member and the heat head and to facilitate loading and unloading of the apparatus,

chuck with the exception that it maybe desirable to provide the upper chuck with an opposite thread to that of the lower chuck so that rotation in one direction tends to maintain both chucks tight.

The elevating cylinders I64 are connected together at top and bottom by manifolds 200 and I88, each manifold connecting the lowerends of each of the cylinders and the upper ends together respectively, as is indicated at 202 and 202. The manifolds are each provided with connection 206 secured to the side of the annular wall I62 and from thence to the source of operating fluid pressure as will be hereinafter described.

The apparatus, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, shows the heat treat head 2I2 and the quench head 2I4 carried at the upper end of the quench apparatus 84 in operative position with respect to the work 80. To commence the heat treatof the piston lowering the sleeve workpiece 80, it merely is necessary to energize the heat treat head 2 l2, supply the quench head with quenching fluid and move the carriage 68 and the workpiece 80 downwardly past the heat treat and quenching heads.

Since in order to place the workpiece in -the position shown, the heat treat head and the quench head must be separable from one another; provision is made for elevating the quench head 2 into the position shown and retracting the same to a lower position through the agency of a fluid pressure cylinder 2|8 and piston 2l8.

to which latter the quenching apparatus 84 is connected. The cylinder 2l5 is supported beneath the bracket 82 through the upper cylinder head 220, the latter having a flange 222 bolted to theunderside of the bracket 82. The cylinder H6 is threaded into the upper cylinder head as at 224. The lower end of the cylinder 2l6 is closed by the lower cylinder head 228 and a port 23I for supplying fluid pressure to the lower end of the cylinder is providedtherein.

In order to provide for the supply of quenching fluid to the quenching head 2N, the piston 2l8 lsso constructed and arranged as to act as a slide valve to the end that the quench head when in elevated position may be supplied with quenching fluid through a hollow piston rod 230, which forms a part of the quenching apparatus 84 and connects the elevating piston 248 with the quench head 2. The piston 2| 8 is provided with a central annular groove 232 adapted to cooperate with a series of ports 234 in'the wall of andat the upper end of the cylinder 2H5, the ports connecting with an internal annular passage 23!? in the depending sleeve or skirt 226 of the cylinder head so as to provide a passage to the annular groove 232 in the piston from a quenching fluid supply pipe 238 connecting with the annular internal groove 236. The annular groove 232 is con nected to the bore 244 of the piston through radial I ports 248. The upper head 220 is additionally provided with a fluid passage 250 at the end of the cylinder 2| 6 for-the admission of fluid to the upper end thereof for acting on the upper side quenching apparatus under fluid pressure.

In order to provide for the drainage of quench-' ing fluid supplied within the workpiece 80 from the quench, head or nozzle 2| 4, the spindle i It of the lower rotatable work support is larger in diameter than the piston rod 230 to provide an adequate annular drain passage to a point ad-v jacent the bottom of the lower motor support casing member He, which is secured to the main chuck support member 14, bothbeing non-rotatable.

The bottom of the gear casing and motor sup-= port member H8 is provided with a central aperture 252 and an upstanding sleeve 254 therearound, the upstanding sleeve having at its upper end a fluid-tight washer 256 engaged with the lower end of the rotating spindle 4. A chamber 258 through which the quenchtube 230 passes is provided with a water-tight packing 280 at the lower end thereof and is secured to the underside of the bottom of the motor support and gear easing H8 and in alignment with the aperture 252, the chamber being provided with an offset drain pipe 262 so that the quenching fluid passing down through the spindle H4 may be freely carried away therethrough. g

The heating head 2 I 2 supported from the arbor 66 is supplied with electrical energy from a transformer (not shown, but clearly described in my copending application aforesaid) mounted within the housing 62.

Since it is essential for safe operation of the machine that the upper and lower chucks I48 and l34lbe precisely in correct engagement with the workpiece 80 and that the workpiece be of proper length, a limit switch is provided to prevent operation of the apparatus in the event that the upper chuck and the lower chuck do not position themselves accurately with respect to each other for a given piece of work. For this purpose, as will appear in Figure l, the upper chuck carrying fixture I9 is provided with a bracket 270 (see also Figure 6) on the casing I10, to which is secured a rod 212 extending upward parallel with the vertical axis of the machine. The rod is adapted to reciprocate with the opening and closing of the upper chuck fixture 19 through a guide bracket 214 secured to the upper chuck support member 16 and in order to accurately indicate the precise position which the chuck I48 should take when in proper engagement with a particular workpiece 80, the upper end of the rod 212 is provided with an adjustable cam 276 adapted to engage and actuate the plunger 218 of the limit switch 280, the latter being supported in the bracket 214. Since the apparatus set forth is adapted to operate upon and treat workpieces of varying length and since precision is required in maintaining the heat treat head accurately centered with respect to the workpiece, the guide bridge or bracket 18 is .providedisee Figure 1) to tie the carriage sleeves l0 and i2 and the arbor 50 in positive relative position with respect to one another, the bridge 18 is secured to the sleeves l0 and 12 through the split sleeve receiving clamps 282 and 284. The bridge is provided with .closely embracing and accuratelyv positioning the arbor 66 with respect to the sleeves 10 and 12. This guide sleeve 286 functions during downward movement of the carriage and thereby the workpiece carried thereby to slide along and maintain the relatively long arbor 66 in coaxial alignment with the workpiece during heat treating of the same. v m

Referring to Figure 5 in which "the hydraulic control apparatus employed in conjunction with the operation of the carriage 68 in its movement upward and downward and the hydraulic fixture or upward chuck movement is diagrammatically illustrated, a dual supply of oil or other hydraulic fluid under. pressure is provided, pumps 300 and 302 driven by the motor 304, both pumps being The pump 302 is I supplied from the sump 30B. adapted to deliver hydraulic fluid under pressure through the pipe 308 to the control valve m. A fluid pressure relief 3 l 2 is provided in the pipe line 308, which is operative to relieve the pressure when the control valve is in the central position as illustrated. Raising the fixture I9 or upper chuck assembly and chuck I48 is effected by energizing valvegsolenoid 3 to shift the valve 3l0, so as tovdeliver hydraulic fluid to the pipe line M6 and through a checkvalve 3l8 to the pipe I98, and thence to the cylinders 164 (Figure 2). lowering of the chuck is prevented by the check valve 3l8, which is spring biased and prevents the return flow of hydraulic fluid except under positive pressure. Thus to lower the fixture or chuck the valve solenoid 320 is energized to supply hydraulic fluid to the pipeline 200, which forces the pistons in cylinders! downwa d, forcin the discharge of hydraulic fluid through the pipe line I 98 and overcoming the bias of the check valve 3 I 8, thereby permitting drainage of the fluid into the sump by passing through the pipe 3I6 to the valve 3I4, and thence to the drain pipe 322. Movement of the carriage up or down is effected through the application of hydraulic fluid under pressure derived from the pump 388 through line ,33I, which pump is adjusted to deliver hydraulic fluid ata specific pressure so that accurate control may be obtained. Raising the carriage is accomplished by'energizing the valve solenoid 324 associated with the valve 326, and valve solenoid 328 associated with valve 338, so that fluid may pass from the pump through the valve 326 to the conduit 332, through the valve 338 to the conduit 334, and. thence through a biased check valve 336 to the pipe I88, which admits hydraulic fluid in the annular space in the sleeves 18, 12 above the pistons 92. Hydraulic fiuid from the underside of the carriage pistons 92 is discharged from the pipe 98 and through valve 326 to the drain pipe 338 and thence to the sump 386. Lowering the carriage may be effected in two ways, one of which is accurately controlled as to rate of movement, and which is employed during the actual heat treatment, whereas, the other is faster and permits the rapid return of the carriage to'the starting position.

The controlled rate is effected by the energization of the valve solenoid 348 associated with the valve 326 so as to deliver fluid under specific pressure from the pump 388 through the pipe 98 to the annular space beneath the pistons 92 in the sleeves 18, 12 thereby tending to force the lowering of the carriage 68 and the workpiece 88. Movement of the carriage downward, however,

is restricted by the restricted discharge of hydraulic fluid from the annular space above the piston 92, the discharge being restricted by the metering valve 342, the latter being so adjusted as to flx the rate at which hydraulic fluid may escape to the sump, and thereby positively controlling the return and downward movement of the carriage, so long as the valve solenoid 328 of the valve 338 is deenergized and the metering valve positively connected in circuit with the dis.- charge line 344. For rapid movement downward the solenoid 328 may be energized for shifting the valve 338 to permit discharge through the pipe 332 and thus through the drain 338 after passing through the valve 326, it being understood that the valve 326 is energized by the solenoid 348.

The check valve 336 is biased sumciently to prevent the return flow pf hydraulic fluid there'- through and thus maintain the carriage in any position but yet to permit flow and its movement under the forceful application of hydraulic pressure below the pistons 92, in which case the hydraulic fluid above the piston is forcefully discharged through the check valve and the metering valve to the sump or direct to the sum: through line 346, as may be desired.

As described in my copending application aforesaid, the operation of the machine is controlled by a sequence controller (not shown)' of the upper chuck fixture 19 and the actuating cam 216 can only actuate slide rod 218 to close.

limit switch 288 when the chuck fixture I8 is in its lowermost position. The lowermost position is the position in which the chuck I48 is in proper engagement with the workpiece 88 to be heat -treated. In other words, the workpiece 88 must be properly held by the chucks I42 and I48 before the limit switch 288 can close with the result that the carriage 68 cannot be actuated until the workpiece is in proper coaxial relationship with the inducing head 2I2 and quenching head 2I4. Thus, insurance is had that the two heads will be safeguarded against injury through conto be heat treated is inserted in the lower chuck I44 after which the sequence controllercauses .energization of the valve solenoid 328, whereby pump 382 causes actuating fluid to flow through line .288 to the upper ends of the cylinders I84 to cause pistons I66 to lower the upper chuck fixture 19, whereby the upper chuck I48 engages and grips the upper end of the workpiece.

When the upper chuck I48 is in proper engagement with the workpiece itis in its lowermost position which causes cam 216 to actuate the slide rod 218 to close the limit switch 288, whereby operation of the apparatus can continue. If the workpiece is not properly located in the lower chuck and prevents the upper chuck I48 from reaching its lowermost position, the limit switch 288 remains open and operation cannot continue until the position of the workpiece is corrected.

Following the closure of limit switch, valve solenoids 324 and 328 energize and pump 888 supplies actuating fluid through valves 326 and 338 and check valve 336 to the sleeves 18 and 12,

whereby the carriage 68 is movedto its uppermost position, illustrated in Figure 2, th quench head 2I4 previously or atsubstantially the same time having moved upwardly into engagement with the induction heating head. It will be noted that at this uppermost position the lower end of the workpiece.88 is adjacent the heating lread 2I2 for the start of the heat treating operation. Valve solenoids 324 and 328 energize when the carriage 88 reaches its uppermost position.

Electrical energy is then supplied to the heating head 2I2 and quenching fluid is supplied through the pipe 238 to the quenching head 2. Also, the two motors I28 and I88 are started to rotate the workpiece 88. Immediately thereafter solenoid valve 348 is energized to direct actuating fluid to the sleeves 18 and 12 through line 98 resulting in the gradual and uniform speed of the carriage and workpiece in a downward direction relative to the heating and quenching heads, during. which movement the inner surface of the workpieceis heated and quenched. The uniform downward travel of the carriage is controlled by the adjustment oi the metering valve 342.

As the carriage reaches the end position for heat treatment'the electric energy is shut 083 and the supply of quenching fluid is terminated. Also, at this point valve solenoid 328 is reenergized, solenoid 348 being energized, to cause carriage to continue its downward movement at a rapid rate until its lowermost position is reached, at which time valve solenoids 328 and 340 are deenergized causing the carriage to come to rest; The quench head is then lowered and this is followed by energization of valve solenoid 3 which causes the upper fixture to move upwardly to disengage the chuck I from the workpiece. The heat treated workpiece is then removed from the lower chuck.

The carriage and chucking device arrangement described is an improvement on the construction shown in my copending application, Serial No. 349,400, filed August 2, 1940.

Inasmuch as changes in the detailed construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, reference will be had to the appended claimsfor a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In a heat treating apparatus, a work holding carriage comprising spacedparallel members,

spaced transverse chuck-supporting members carried by said parallel members, a first chuck carried by one or said transverse members, a

, chuck supporting element, a second chuck carried by said supporting element in axial alignment with and axially spaced from said first chuck, and means between the other of said transverse members and said chuck supporting element, said means supportin said supporting element and said second chuck for movement axially relative to said first chuck to and from.

, to the other for indicating a normal loading condition, and means responsive to the indication of a normal loading condition for actuating said first mentioned moving means and moving said carriage toa work heat treating position.

3. In a machine for heat treating a surface of a workpiece, a supporting base, a movable carriage, means on said carriage for securely supporting the workpiece to be heat treated, cooperable guide means on Said carriage and base supporting and guiding said carriage for movement through a predetermined linear path, means for effecting said movement, a relatively long stationary head supporting arbor spaced at one end and from said end throughout at least the major portion of its length from said base, a heating head fixed to said end of said arbor, said arbor and head being parallel to said linear path of movement and said carriage being arranged to move the workpiece as supported thereby intoand out of closely spaced heating relation with said head, and a guide element rigidly fixed to said carriage for movement therewith and surrounding said arbor in longitudinally slidable bearing engagement for accurately positioning said head with respect to the workpiece during movement of the workpiece by said carriage into heating relation with said head.

4. In a machine for progressively heat treating a cylindrical surface of an elongated workpiece, a base, a relatively long stationary arbor supported at one end of said base and spaced for the remainder of the length thereof from said base, a heating head fixed to the other end of said arbor, a carriage guidably supported on said base for movement longitudinally of and parallel to said arbor, means on said carriage for supporting the workpiece to be heat treated in axial alignment with said head, said carriage having a normal workpiece loading and unloading position and an initial heating position and bein movable longitudinally of said arbor from said loading position to move the workpiece as supported thereby throughout its length axially past said head to said initial heating position and return the workpiece to said normal position, means for eflecting said carriage movements, and guide means rigidly fixed to and movable with said carriage and surrounding said arbor in longitudinallv slidable bearing engagement for maintainin the arbor and the heat head against lateral deflection during return movement of the workpiece past said head.

HOWARD E. SOMES. 

